Light In Darkness
by Ahra
Summary: On investigating the late Emperor's dungeons, Leia finds something in a cell that makes no sense. Curious and confused, she searches to find the truth about Senator Riyo Chuchi and what happened in that cell.
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note: Warning: Senator Chuchi may seem OOC in this chapter but I promise you there is a reason for her behavior that I believe is very in character. This is a bit different from what I usually write but it's been running around in the back of my head for a bit and I've decided to give it a try.

CHAPTER ONE

Leia stood before the sealed prison wing door deep in the late Emperor's dungeon and shivered in trepidation. What could possibly have frightened the Sith Lord so much that he had personally ordered the entire wing sealed?

The end of the war had only been the beginning of the work. The return to a democracy from a tyranny required changing procedures, laws and returning buildings such as the Senate to their original function. Old documents had to be reviewed to find all of the Emperor's secrets because you couldn't fix a problem you didn't know about.

Of the things to be reversed, the prison on Coruscant was a definite priority. In the cells resided many people whose only crime was to speak up against the tyrant's regime or who had simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time. They had already freed one family who had been guilty solely through association; a cousin had been a member of the rebellion. In other cells, though, they had found prisoners so vile and evil that not even a Sith would allow them to walk free. Those had been near labs where Palpatine's scientists had sought to make something useful of them.

This wing, though, had been sealed with the Emperor's mark and the data of what might be behind the door had been removed from the roster. Something behind this door had scared, or at least unnerved, the Emperor enough to try to erase its existence. Logically, it meant whatever was there could be an even greater threat to the New Republic or a great benefit. Either way, it was important to find out and, since there was a large possibility of it being linked to the Force in some way, it was Leia's responsibility to oversee the investigation.

Though she did not have the training of her brother, her own strength in the Force would help protect her and give her the ability to assess if there even was a threat. Her political experience and acumen would enable her to discover how far the secrets behind this door reached. After all, whatever else the Emperor had been, he had always been an amazing politician.

"I managed to resurrect some of the deleted data." The slicer that had been working on the security terminal outside the sealed door turned a view screen towards her to ease her viewing. "Not much here, they scrubbed it pretty good, but...at least it's a start."

Leia moved forward to view the file open on the screen.

Wing A223

Cells Occupied: 1

Cell: B273

Prisoner: Senator Riyo Chuchi

Personnel Access Recor*&amp;Gh`123%

The slicer shrugged. "Like I said, not much, the rest is too corrupted for me to do anything with."

"Unfortunate but at least we know who was interred here." Turning to look at the Senate Guard Commander assigned to this endeavor, she stated, "Signal the workers to bring the jacks. She was a monster but not a Sith so the possibility of a Force based threat is minimal."

The black haired human commander bowed briefly in acknowledgement before issuing orders into his com.

Leia turned back toward the sealed door. Senator Riyo Chuchi in a cell? The blue woman had been renowned for her dedication to the Empire, sending entire ships of her own people to die on a barren, frozen moon for speaking out against the Emperor, all in the name of keeping the peace on her home planet and others. She had disappeared sometime after the Clone Wars and most people had assumed she had been assassinated and it had been covered up to prevent others from getting ideas.

Having essentially grown up in the Coruscant political climate under the tutelage of her adopted father, Bail Organa, Leia had known all the senators on sight.

She could remember Senator Chuchi, a small blue woman always accompanied by at least three armed troopers. Her father had always warned her to keep her distance from the small entourage as the troopers did not step around people and were not known to apologize or even acknowledge the situation when they knocked people down.

When she was still young, she had asked her father why he did not approach Senator Chuchi for support for the various bills he tried to push through the Senate. The woman obviously had power to be able to rate her own armored guard separate from the Senate guards. Bail's eyes had darkened as his mouth turned down in a sad frown.

"Once...she would have been one of the first I would have sought out. She was as committed to peace and diplomacy as I. Unfortunately, now...well, her idea of peace is that, if you kill everyone that disagrees, then what is left will be peace. I will not ask for support from a woman who murders the very people she claims to represent."

The interaction had both disturbed Leia and made her curious. She had watched Senator Chuchi closer and had noticed several things.

One, the senator's expression was almost always remained placid, calm and unreadable. No frown, no smile, no narrowing of eyes.

Second, she always voted the way the Emperor voted but never made speeches.

Three, the only times her eyes showed emotion was during speeches about the rights of all sentients. Her mouth would quirk on side, and her eyes would sharply narrow.

So, what was the name of one of the Emperor's devoted lackeys doing in a cell later sealed by the Emperor.

The workers had managed to break the seal and the door was sliding open. Lights flickered on along the hallway except around the area of Chuchi's cell. Approaching carefully, following two guards with hand lights, Leia quickly realized why. The cell and the surrounding area had been destroyed in some kind of large blast.

Even more strangely, the Force was strong with emotion here but it was not dark. The cell was overflowing with a brightness of love, devotion and joy.

Author's Note: Hope you all enjoy the intro to the little mystery of what happened to change Riyo from shy and retiring to vilified and feared.


	2. In The Cell

Chapter 2

As the droids set up light stands around the cell under the supervision of the Commander Grey, Leia circled the room, studying the destruction. Parts of the metal walls were melted while other sections were dented and torn. Everything was blackened, burned by an intense heat, not even the chains, so evident in other cells, had survived.

Leaving the study of physical evidence to those better trained, Leia settled herself in the middle of the cell, kneeling and focusing on her breathing. She let all worries drift away...the fact her long white khaki pants (a scandal in the Senatorial building but more useful in the investigatin of the unknown) would probably become stained from the dust and soot that coated the bottom of the cell, the sounds of droids - gears grinding, feet clanging across steel floors, jarring the ears, the murmurs of technicians scanning, taking samples, discussing...she let all of it go. She did not focus on emptying her mind because that only filled her mind with desire, not empty. She did not think of Chuchi and the mystery, did not ask any questions of the Force.

She only focused on openness, accepting whatever might come to her, no demand, no desire, simply calm acceptance. Breathing in the ashy metallic flavored air fully into her lungs, releasing all curiosity, distaste, everything. She just accepted everything and released it back into the room.

Into this calm emptiness came a voice...soft...feminine. As her brother had taught her, Leia did not grasp at the words but let the sound flow through her.

The voice filled with horror and joy and another voice answered, low, rough, male, comforting.

A blue woman with pink hair and wide gold eyes reached forward, lunging until tripped by the chains around her slim ankles. White armored arms caught her, protecting her, pulling her to a Stormtroooper's chest. The helmet removed revealed black, short hair, brown eyes, soft, lowered.

Chuchi's gold eyes, flickered behind him, her voice brittle, her gold eyes wide, "The others? Are they-" A question left open in fear that speech might bring the worst into reality.

"Safe. I made sure of it before I came. They're far beyond Coruscant's reach by now and they'll stay that way. They swore."

Blue eyelids, dark from lack of sleep, drop in relief only to snap open, "Then...why...what are you doing here? You should be with them!"

His full pale lips quirk in dark humor. "And leave you here to keep all the fun for yourself? Naw, we'll break their plans together, like always."

Chuchi smiles and lays her cheek on the cold armor, breathing out in a soft sob. "You should not have done this for a dead woman. I wanted you to live too."

The trooper shrugged, laying a stubble roughened cheek against the top of her head. "What we want and plan and what is never survives contact with the enemy. You had to know I couldn't leave you to die like this. Palpatine's not going to let this go easy. You're an embarrassment now and you know how he feels about those."

"But...there's so much left..."

A white gloved hand cupped her chin and lifted, "Others will carry the burden now...including my men. You did enough because you did what you could. Now let me protect you one last time."

Keeping one arm around her, the trooper reaches into a pouch on the black belt and pulls out a small round object. A thermal detonator.


	3. Reporting to Mon Mothma

Chapter Three

After analyzing the blast pattern, damage and residue, it was official. The cell had been the center of a blast from a thermal detonator. Though it wasn't a surprise, it was nice to have a confirmation that her vision had been real.

Questions still ran through Leia's mind. The tone and words of the vision hinted at many possibilities but solidified none. The tones were affectionate, loving...but...love could mean so many things - There was an obvious connection between Chuchi and the trooper but was it the connection that existed between herself and Han or her and Luke or, even, Han and Chewbacca? His importance was obvious. Why he was important was not.

Also, the work they had spoken of and the plans to be broken. Leia could easily imagine the same words coming from her adopted father's mouth. But, if Chuchi was part of the rebellion...why had Leia never seen her speak with Bail and Mon Mothman and the others? The plans to be broken had to have been the emperor's but did that necessarily mean that Chuchi had sided with the rebellion or had Chuchi been working on her own plans, perhaps plotting to supplant the Emperor.

Was the enemy of my friend really my friend? Unfortunately, the Rebellion had discovered that the answer to that question was often, 'No'.

Still, the cell had been filled with so much Light, Chuchi being power hungry didn't make sense.

Well, if Chuchi had been a member of the Rebellion, Mon Mothma would know.

Leia's lips turned up into a smile and the lines of irritation smoothed from her forehead.

She would go to the New Republic leader and find the true store. After all, with the Empire dead and dying, the Rebellion's secret operatives could finally come into the light.

Leaning forward in her chair, Leia pressed the button of the secure comm box built into her desk. Typing in Mon Mothma's code, she absently patted her hair and checked the arrangement of her long white robes, proper dress for the Senate building. Of course her hair and robe were still arranged perfectly. She had been trained since birth to be aware of appearances. Although one should not judge by them, appearances in politics was another subtle way to communicate and, therefore, a tool. Bail had been sure that Leia knew better than to ignore any tool at her disposal.

After several minutes passed, the composed face of Mon Mothma filled the hologram view screen. "Good evening, Senator Organo. Have you discovered what the Emperor was hiding in the dungeon."

Leia's hands lay still and calm in her lap. "The only thing hidden behind the sealed door was a cell that had last contained Senator Riyo Chuchi."

Mon Mothma's eyes widened and her mouth parted with a quickly indrawn breath. Two moments passed before her light colored brows drew together. "Why would that murderess be in a cell?"

Leia's previous placid expression melted into a mirror of Mon Mothma's, brows drawing together in confusion. "She wasn't a part of the Rebellion?"

"Why would you think that?"

This endless question circle was getting them nowhere. "While I was in the cell I meditated and opened myself to the Force. It is hard to explain-" She paused for a moment, her head tilted slightly to the right. Mon Mothma nodded acknowledgement, an openness to an explanation that might not make logical sense. "When we opened the cell, the...sense of the Force was strong but it was not the Dark Side. It was Light...emotions that should not have been in the dungeon. When I investigated deeper, I...saw something."

"Saw?"

"As I said, it is hard to explain. It is like a part of an image. I believe I saw the minutes before Chuchi's death and it led me to believe she was a member of the Rebellion, perhaps like my father, Senator Organa?" Confidence in her conclusions bled completely away as confusion filled Mon Mothma's face.

"If she was a member of the Rebelllion, I never heard a hint of it. She was on the list of senators your father and I made a point of avoiding in order to keep our activities a secret." Her eyebrows almost touched as her eyes looked back down the road of memory. "My last interaction with her was after the defeat of the Seperatists and the death of the Jedi Order...and it was not pleasant."

Note: Chapter was edited - I originally referred to Leia as Organo-Solo by accident. I have corrected that error as this takes place soon after the Battle of Endor and she was not married until 3 years after. I apologize for the error.

Author's note: I'm pleased people are enjoying this so far. This story is very much an experiment for me. It's a very different structure than what I usually write but it's a story I've been wanting to write. So, basically - Any feedback at all is more than welcome. (end shameless plea for reviews here, lol)


	4. Answers Bring More Questions

Chapter 4

Leia leaned forward, fingers linked under her chin. "What happened in that last meeting?"

"It was, as I said, shortly after the death of the Jedi Order at the hands of the clone army. Senator Chuchi had requested a private meeting which I, of course, granted. She was a strong proponent of democracy and diplomacy, had been close to some of the Jedi. At the time, all of us who shared those beliefs were meeting, feeling each other out, discussing future courses. It was obvious to many of us that Palpatine was not going to keep his promise of giving up his war time expanded powers. We needed a new way to defend ourselves."

Leia nodded. Her father had spoken of those times with her, an explanation to a rebellious young teenager of why he was not more open in his opposition to the Emperor and why she needed to be careful as well.

"Chuchi's reason for meeting me, though, was not to discuss Palpatine's latest moves. She was looking for support for a new bill for rights for the cloness."

Leia blinked, thumb tapping her chin. "Why would she seek such a thing? The clones were killing machines. They turned on the Jedi and destroyed the order within a day."

"That is exactly what I told her. They did not need a salary or a homeland, they needed to be decommissioned the same as the Separatist droid armies. They were a power source for Palpatine but a threat to the rest of us. If they could so easily murder the Jedi who had led them aand worked so closely to them, how much more easily could they attack others. They had already marched into the Jedi Temple and murdered all within, the obvious next target for such a mission would be the Senate building itself. Which is what I told Senator Chuchi, I was amazed that she was not interested in the punishment of child murderers."

"How did she defend herself?"

Mon Mothma lowered her eyes to the desk, an index finger pressed to her temple. It was several moments before the answer revealed itself from the shadows of memory. "She told me that was not a realistic option and rather than wishing for the impossible, she hoped to do something for the victims. I told her that bringing the murderers to justice would be something for the victims. She told me that it would not help the victims still alive. She, then, apologized for taking my time and for assuming that I actually believed in the things I said. I demanded to know what she meant by that but she turned and left and we never spoke privately again."

The two women leaned back into their chairs, eyes meeting and holding.

Leia rubbed her temple. "Is it possible that she became a member of the Rebellion later? Perhaps she became a spy?"

"I...am not sure. The Rebellion was too large and often the need for secrecy was too great for me to know every person we had undercover or giving quiet aid."

'You did enough because you did what you could.' The words spoken in a rough but affectionate tone, reassuring and strong slipped through Leia's mind. There was such sureness, such compassion in those words. What was it Chuchi had done? Who were the others and what plans had been opposed. The questions crawled across her mind, an itch demanding to be scratched.

Leia sighed long and soft. "Mon Mothma, could you look into it? Find out if she was actually an agent of the Rebellion?"

Mon Mothma's light eyes studied her, honing in on Leia's face as if reading a battle report. "What does it matter at this late date? The Rebellion is over and you said there is no threat in that cell."

"I said the cell was full of Light Side Force energy. Chuchi was not a Force User and, in the vision, there was a mention of others that escaped. There is something here…I don't know what it could be and nothing I've learned makes any sense. We need…I need to know what happened."

The silence lengthened, stretching Leia's nerves. Finally, reluctantly, Mon Mothma nodded, "I will make inquiries."

The fact that Leia now owed Mon Mothma a favor was unspoken…as was Leia's acknowledgement. With a short thank you and respectful taking of leave, the connection was cut short. Leia leaned fully back in her chair, staring at nothingness.

Her vision blurred and a voice filled her ears.

"The clones are what they are because of us!" Gold eyes flashed in anger. "We made them what they are."

"Senator Chuchi," Mon Mothma's voice was younger and placating, "We did not order them or design the program—"

"But we did not stop it. We did not look closer. We saw a Separatist army and an easy answer and we took it and now that the clones have done everything asked…no not asked, demanded of them, now we move to deny more be made and I have even heard debate of quiet ways to get rid of those that live now. Is that our answer to them? You have served the purpose you were built for, now please disappear as we no longer want you."

"I understand that we made a mistake but we have more important things to worry about. Palpatine's last speech indicates that he is not willing to give up the emergency powers granted to him in the war, the Jedi were killed by the very things you want to reward. We must see to the protection of our people. As a senator, I would have assumed you would understand your responsibilities."

"As a supporter of democracy, I would have assumed the same of you." Chuchi's eyes were a dull antique gold, her face colder than the ice on Hoth. "Forgive me for taking up your time but I thank you for your instruction."

"My instruction?"

Chuchi's lips were flat, no smile, no frown, the placid expression Leia remembered so well, "That I should see only to my people's needs. I will leave you to see only to your own needs and not bother you again as I can see that I am of no use to you."

Leia's body jerked forward. She had not been meditating. Where had the vision come from?

Author's Notes:

Athio – Well here is the next chapter. Thank you for the encouragement.

Foxface – I hope you continue to feel that the story gets better with each chapter. I'm happy with how well it has been flowing so far. :D

Panda – Unfortunately, patience will be needed to see what all is going on. It is going to take Leia actively searching to find the full story so it will take us awhile to. I hope you enjoy the ride though.

Miura Assassin – I plan for it to go someplace interesting. I can see the final scene in my mind but the road to get there is a bit more shadowed.

Elfylliane – Thank you :D

Also, a very big thank you to those who have favorite the story.

I'm happy that this story has had such a positive response.


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